There are a lot of little tips for fly fishing expedience that may not actually help you catch fish, but might make it easier to start fishing. The tip offered up by Kirk Deeter in the video below is one such idea that has become second nature to me and a lot of anglers who recognize the value in stowing your fly while you’re on the move and then starting to fish quickly once you’ve settled on a spot in the river to start casting.
This is a simple one, of course, and begs the question, “Why do rod-makers still still attach that hook-keeper at the base the rod?” Some traditions are hard to let go of. I haven’t used the hook-keeper in ages, choosing instead to use the method Kirk describes above. He’s right. It doesn’t help me catch fish, at least not directly. But if I’m with other anglers, I’m often the first one casting. That’s worth something, right?
— Chris Hunt